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AIXpert Blog is about the AIX operating system from IBM running on POWER based machines called Power Systems and software related to it like PowerVM for virtualisation, PowerVC for Deploying VM's and PowerSC for security plus performance monitoring and nmon

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A new version of Hardware Management Console code with a browser-based graphical user interface is now available. HMC Version 7 Release 3.1.0 is required to support the recently announced 9117-MMA IBM System p 570, the first POWER6 server to be introduced. This code can also support POWER5 and POWER5+ managed servers, although HMC V6R1.2 with its Web-based System Manager interface continues to be available. (POWER4 managed servers are supported by HMCs running HMC V3R3.7.) The support notice on HMC V7R3.1.0 can be found at this web page:... [More]

Unlike its predecessors, the 7042 Hardware Management Console for a POWER6 server does not have to be within 25 feet of the managed system. However, there may be practical reasons why it will continue to be close to the machines it manages. The purpose behind the distance limitation was to facilitate work by an IBM Service Support Representative. One of the HMC's functions is to serve as a repository of service information and tools. Some service utilities, such as the ability to blink lights on and off to identify adapters, would be... [More]

AIX Security Expert is a system security hardening tool (TCP, NET, IPSEC, system, auditing). It saves time and ensures that all systems have the proper security configuration in an enterprise environment. It was added to AIX5.3 in TL6 (Aug 2006). AIX Security Expert integrates over 300 security settings into a simple menu for selecting High, Medium, Low and Standard security. It also allows you to customize individual settings. It can be used to create a security profile that you can propagate to other systems. AIX Security Expert can be run... [More]

Starting in AIX 5.3 ML5, there is a new "topas -R" option that records theperformance of all partitions on a physical server. The command is runon just one server, and the output is stored in the /etc/perf directory. The "topasout" command converts the output file into a CSV or XML file. The CSV file can be imported into the nmon Analyser 3.2.3+. (Requires AIX 5.3 TL5 service pack 4 with APAR IY87993) The advantage is that topas is a supported tool. The disadvantage isthat it is not well documented, and you have to do some of the parsing. ... [More]

The AIX 6 open beta is now available from https://www14.software.ibm.com/iwm/web/cc/earlyprograms/ibm/aix6beta/ AIX 6 offers new capabilities such as Workload Partitions, Role Based Access Control and many other exciting features. AIX 6 is fully binary compatible with AIX 5L. AIX 6 will run on IBM systems based on POWER4, PPC970, POWER5 and POWER6. Go to http://www-03.ibm.com/servers/aix/6/preview.html for more details on the AIX 6 preview.

Ravi Singh has updated his excellent "AIX Facts and Features" to include the new AIX6 functions. He has also expanded it to include VIO and HMC. http://www-03.ibm.com/support/techdocs/atsmastr.nsf/WebIndex/TD103130

Performance concerns on the Hardware Management Console sometimes point to a misconfiguration of the network adapters. In most cases, configuring eth0 and eth1 as either private or open networks using auto negotiation results in no problems whatsoever. But on occasion, the ability of the Ethernet card to correctly negotiate full duplex with a particular switch or router appears to fail and the adapter comes up in half duplex mode. If the switch really is configured for full duplex, the switch may be reporting a problem (or it may go unnoticed)... [More]

The AIX, Linux, System p Technical University will be held October 1-5 in San Antonio, Texas. The sessions are now available at http://www-304.ibm.com/jct03001c/services/learning/ites.wss/us/en?pageType=page&c=a0004782 You can register at http://www.ibm.com/training/us/conf There is a 10% discount available to PowerAIX members. (You can join for free at http://www.poweraix.org) Apply for the discount at enrollment as follows. Enroll at http://www.ibm.com/training/us/conf and follow these steps:Choose the IBM System p, AIX and Linux Technical... [More]

I use the following formula to size the minimum number of cores on replacement servers. The formula is based on "used" performance on the installed servers matching "used" performance on the replacement server. c2 = (u1)(c1)(p1) / (u2)(p2) Where c1 = # cores on the installed server p1 = "performance per core" of the installed server u1 = % utilization of the installed server c2 = # cores on the replacement server p2 = "performance per core" of the replacement server u2 = % utilization of the replacement server If consolidating multiple... [More]